From Dim Stars to Shining Skies
by Treymane
Summary: After long years of searching, Razer begins to despair that he will ever see his love again, unaware of how close he is to finding her.
1. The Tomb

The fragile, age worn, skeleton of a structure creaked and groaned in protest as Razer set down on its roof. He swept his eyes across the dim blue horizon, illuminated only by a pale, distant star. The crumbling edifices of decayed and forgotten buildings dominated his view for as far as Razer could see.

"Another tomb of a world," Razer muttered as his gut tightened in disappointment.

His gaze settled on a building far below him and he set into the air once more before gliding noiselessly down toward it. Gaping cracks marred the sides of the building, although whether the cracks were scars of war or just the result of long decay was impossible to tell.

Razer glided inside the through one of the cracks. Dim blue light filtered in to the building from the outside, creating columns of illumination and allowing him to see that he had glided into a long hall with an arched ceiling that loomed high overhead. Rows of shelves lined the walls, caked with dust that may have been books once.

He set himself down and listened but could hear not so much as the scurrying of vermin. Then, listening more closely, he could hear a soft hum, barely perceptible. He followed the sound down the decrepit, high arched corridor.

He came upon a flight of stairs and descended until he reached the landing, then paused when he saw a metal frame housing a slowly rotating cylinder. He all but jumped backward when the cylinder emitted a loud crackling spark before it continued its slow, pained rotation.

_Some sort of generator,_ he thought.

Several thick cables extended from the generator. He followed the cables with his eyes: down the stairs and into another broad, high ceilinged hallway. Sweeping his eyes around the room he saw three other generators, all with cables linked to a single device at the room's center. He glided toward it.

The machine was covered with dust and debris that had fallen from the ceiling. Razer began to brush off the debris and could make out the surface of a monitor and a keypad. Encouraged, he kept up the effort until he could plainly see the monitor.

A set of incomprehensible, alien characters flashed across the monitor. Razer blinked. "I don't understand," he said, hoping the machine had a verbal interface. He activated his power ring and cast a cone of red light across the characters, hoping they might translate. They did not.

"What?" said Razer, surprised. The sequence ended then repeated itself. "What?" he repeated himself, growing frustrated, "I can't understand." His tone became despairing as the characters vanished and repeated once more. He scattered debris off the keypad but all of the functions were alien to him.

His jaw shuddered. He didn't know why but he knew this was crucial_._ The screen flickered and his eyes shot wide. He looked to the generators. They were slowing down, grinding to a halt.

"No!" he shouted and shot a hand out in the direction of the nearest generator, a wiry red-colored construct shot outward, stripping the casing off the generator before wrapping around and turning the cylinder.

The screen flickered again as its power supply continued to degrade. He glanced from generator to generator, trying to see which one needed aid the most. When he spotted one about to cease turning he lashed it with another construct to keep it moving and dared a glance back at the screen. A separate set of characters appeared, dominating the center of the screen. Then the monitor flickered once more and the characters faded into blackness as the other two generators failed.

Razer clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on his constructs, causing them to turn the generators he held faster in a vain hope to restart the machine. The blank screen continued to stare at him. He couldn't tell for how long he stared back in futile silence, all the while turning the two generators faster and faster as his anger built. Eventually the generators burned out. Razer exhaled heavily and released his hold on his constructs. The mechanical hum he had heard was completely gone, leaving him in utter silence.

He stared at the black screen, breathing in and out heavily, frustration giving way to rage until his fist was engulfed in lambent, red light and he slammed it into the screen. The impact obliterated the monitor but left him feeling hollow and unsatisfied. He collapsed in a heap by the broken computer amidst the piles of dust and debris.

"Seven years," he said as he let his head fall backward to slam against the computer terminal. "Seven long years."

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to remember her face. The task became more difficult every time. Seven years of searching. Seven years of longing. Seven years of false hopes. Seven years of isolation. Seven years of loneliness.

It was true he had help at first but that dwindled over time. Not many people were willing to entertain his request to find an AI who had devoured stars, taken lives and threatened to annihilate all organic life from the universe.

Razer couldn't help but smirk, "Life would be easier if we could choose the ones we love." He shook his head, still pained by the memory that it was his rejection of her love that had spurred Aya to her path of destruction. A path that had made it necessary for her to end her own existence in order to stop the horde of machines that shared her programming.

Razer suddenly clenched his fist, clinging to his resolve as he spoke, "I will find you. You found a way out. I know you did."

He leaned his head forward resolutely. He would keep going for as long as it took. Then he spied an object lying on the ground in front of him.

"You again," he rasped at the small blue ring staring up at him. He sighed, picking up the ring and examining it. "At least I know my company isn't too tiresome for you. I can only suppose you don't give up either."

He sighed as he turned the ring over in his fingers, shaking his head. "Why not?" he said to the blue ring before sliding it onto his finger, as he had done many times over the past seven years.

Razer hesitated. Clenching his teeth, he began to recite the oath, "In fearful day, in raging night, With strong hearts full, our souls ignite, When all seems lost in the War of Light, Look to the stars—For hope burns bright."

The blue signet of the ring began to shine as he spoke and flared brightly at the end of the recitation, an image was cast from the ring: Aya, as well as Razer could remember her. Her features were at once artificial but also delicate and elfin. The image wavered, a blue ghostly visage in the cold light of the tomb of a planet.

Razer found the image disturbing and reassuring at the same time. While he breathed easier seeing her face, it wasn't her. Aya was curious, kind and present. The image was only static.

"I won't forget," he promised, before slipping the ring back off tossing it to the side, allowing the image to fade. "And I won't stop searching." He looked around the dead room and sighed regretfully, "I only wish I knew what to look for."


	2. Rise and Shine

Atrocitus opened his eyes. There was no light with which to see but he could feel himself pressed against something. Feeling around himself he could tell he was in a tightly confined space.

_Of course,_ he thought as the fog began to lift from his mind,_ the sleeping pod those idiot Green Lanterns put me in for the prisoner transfer. But then how am I awake? Those fools must be even more amateurish than I had suspected._

Atrocitus pulled back his powerful fists as far as he could and punched outward against what he perceived to be the seal of the sleeping pod. No effect. He punched again and the seal rattled. Growling, he pushed his hands and feet against the seal and was gratified to hear a popping sound. The seal had cracked enough for light to get in.

Atrocitus grinned. A final punch sent the seal flying outward and he tumbled out after it, falling disoriented onto the ground as the light blinded him. He continued to slide downward, striking something with his feet and tripping over it, causing him to continue to slide downward headfirst. He reached forward with his hands and managed to brake his fall against something. A ledge perhaps?

Atrocitus carefully shifted himself until his feet were positioned against what he thought to be a ledge. He felt about with his hands to try to get a sense for where he might be but quickly gave up in frustration. He would have to wait for his eyes to adjust to the light.

When they finally did, Atrocitus understood his disorientation. The interior of the ship was illuminated with white, lighted conduits that ran along the ceiling while green-hued lights mounted on the walls slowly cycled on and off. He could see now that he had slid down along one of the ship's walls, and, looking toward his left, he could see the dining table of the ship's mess hall. Meanwhile, his feet were braced against the base of a hatchway.

Looking downward, Atrocitus could see all the way to the cockpit. The single corridor seemed to run unbroken through the entire vessel.

_A poor design_, he thought to himself before continuing his trip down the length of the corridor toward the cockpit.

Three points quickly became apparent to Atrocitus. The first was that the ship must have crashed, due to the disorientation of gravity. The second was that his Green Lantern wardens were unaccounted for, due to his unopposed absence from his sleeping pod. Finally, it was clear that if he wanted his freedom from captivity to continue, he needed to ascertain his position and find out if the Green Lanterns were nearby.

Atrocitus lowered himself down to the bridge. Though it was dark in the world visible through the ship's forward viewport, he could still see a gaping precipice over which the ship loomed. He inspected the computers. None of them appeared to be powered. Atrocitus huffed with contempt at the Green Lantern's incompetence. Had one of his own minions failed so completely he would have seen them flayed alive.

Then he noticed a sealed compartment located under a bridge console and tore it open. He grinned with delight to see a red power ring inside. Cackling he seized it and thrust it onto his finger then howled with delight as he fed his rage into the ring. Flames engulfed him as his prison garb was replaced with the uniform of the Red Lanterns. Refusing to be caged within the dead ship any longer, Atrocitus surged into the air and out of the forward viewport to survey his surroundings.

Crumbling derelict buildings reached up into the sky, painted a cold blue in the dim light of an azure sun setting over the horizon. It was not a world Atrocitus recognized. He checked the power level on his ring.

"Thirty percent." He frowned. With no way of knowing how far it was to the next habitable planet, he could very well run out of power in the vacuum of space. That was unacceptable.

Then, Atrocitus felt a presence, a Red Lantern Battery nearby. He smirked and set off in pursuit of the battery, hoping to find it in the possession of one of the traitorous wretches who had abandoned him to the justice of the Green Lanterns.

* * *

><p>A diminutive blue figure floating just above the planet's surface witnessed Atrocitus' exit from the crashed prison ship and his abrupt flight away from it. She smirked, knowing that he must have divined the direction of the Red Lantern Battery.<p>

The beast of rage was a predictable creature, and easily manipulated. He would soon serve his purpose or die in the attempt. The diminutive figure was not worried. Even if the beast failed she would find another way to achieve her goals. Time and patience were assets she possessed in abundance.


	3. Singularity

Razer set foot down in the tower that had become his refuge on the tomb world. He checked the charge on his red power ring's battery: nearly depleted. He shook his head at how lax he had become. This was not a misstep he would have made even a year ago.

Razer approached the red lantern battery and held the ring close to accept its power. He summoned his frustration and anger and began to chant the Red Lantern Oath, but as he spoke his thoughts turned inevitably toward Aya, her sweet and curious demeanor, and his anger faltered. Tongue in cheek he began to recite the chant she had composed for him, a chant she had thought would achieve the same effect as the Red Lantern oath because it had the same rhythm and cadence. It worked no more now than it had then, but it made him smile.

"What is this pathetic creature?" an intruding voice questioned derisively.

Razer whirled away from the battery, his shock written plainly on his face. "Atrocitus! How did you get here?"

"I am certain that I don't care," responded the hulking creature as he lowered himself onto the ground and took menacing, earth-shaking steps toward Razer.

"The only thing that matters to me now is taking revenge on the traitors who left me to rot as a prisoner." Atrocitus grinded a fist against a palm as red light began to suffuse his form, "They aren't here right now. You are. So you will have to suffice."

Razer glared back at Atrocitus as red-lighted daggers formed in his hands, "You aren't the only one in this room who wants revenge." He lunged for Atrocitus, lashing out with a series of arcing slashes.

Despite his bulk, Atrocitus nimbly sidestepped each attack. "Are you still upset about your lost love? Pathetic."

His arm suddenly wreathed in crimson flames, Atrocitus dodged Razer's next attack then counter-punched, sending Razer reeling backward until he burst through the far wall of the tower, freefalling for a moment before he managed to right himself.

Razer clenched his teeth, steeling himself as Atrocitus exited the tower to loom above him.

"I do not need to explain why I seek vengeance on you!" shouted Razer, "Your crimes are without number! Why do you think your own people abandoned you?"

Summoning his hatred, Razer brought a serrated spear to life in his hand and charged Atrocitus, aiming for his heart. Atrocitus grinned and formed lashes from each of his hands before seizing Razer's spear construct and reeling him in closely enough for Razer to feel the heat of Atrocitus' foul breath on his neck.

Atrocitus cackled, "You are trying to make me angry? Good. You add to my strength and hasten your own end. There is not enough rage within you to stand against me. I am wrath! I am ruin! I am DEATH!"

"I have rage enough to see you dead!" Razer spat back.

Atrocitus laughed, "No you don't. You never did. I was wrong about you. Even when I told you I murdered your woman you didn't have the strength to kill me. You were nothing then and now you are so much less."

Razer released the trapped spear construct and went for Atrocitus' throat with his own hands. Atrocitus laughed and made slashing motions at Razer with both of his lash constructs, sending Razer flailing over the tomb of a city until he crashed through a dome before landing hard within what had once been a building of state.

Razer rolled to his side and coughed up blood, then he heard a loud crash and looked upward to see cracks forming in the dome he had fallen through. With another crash the cracks grew larger and segments of the dome fell as the entire structure began to cave inward. Ignoring his pain, Razer vaulted into the air as the dome began to collapse, dodging massive chunks of debris as he went.

Atrocitus rumbled in contemplation as he watched Razer escape, a massive red hammer construct in his hand, "Hmm. This isn't about Alana anymore is it? No . . . hmm. Ah, I remember. That robot. The one you quit our battle to rescue all those years ago . . . yes. I remember hearing during my confinement that she had perished."

"Do not speak of her!" shouted Razer as he lunged toward Atrocitus, striking him with an enormous impact and smashing him against the skeletal remains of a towering skyscraper before landing blow after blow across his face.

Atrocitus snickered and caught Razer's fists as they were in motion. "So that is what has you wallowing in misery. A pet machine."

Razer struggled against Atrocitus, "Aya is no machine. She is alive!"

"What pathetic delusions are you clinging to? And whom are you trying to convince, me or yourself? I recall a time when we reprogrammed your pet to take us to Oa. It was easy. Your 'love' was never anything more than an overly familiar appliance. Her delusions were surpassed only by your own."

Razer finally wrenched free of Atrocitus. Pouring all of his wrath into his power ring, he formed a long sword construct and clung to it with both hands before striking out with an overhanded slash.

Red flames engulfed Atrocitus's hands and he seized the blade of the sword construct.

"I want you to tell me, how did it feel to fail again? To know that another of your loves lay dead because of your own incompetence?"

Atrocitus clenched his fists around the sword construct, annihilating it before he seized Razer and wrenched one of his arms behind his back. Razer cried out in a crescendo of pain until his shoulder dislocated from its socket. Atrocitus bellowed a laugh before letting go of Razer and delivering a swift kick to his spine, sending him plummeting downward to crash into the street below.

Razer rolled over to his side and struggled to push himself back up to his feet with his remaining good arm, wincing in pain as he did so. He glanced downward as his power ring flickered red and died. At the same time the protective shell encasing him failed and then his Red Lantern uniform faded away, leaving him standing with only his gray fatigues.

Atrocitus descended slowly to street level, his face full of smug victory as the lambent fire of his rage coruscated around him.

"No Green Lanterns to save you, no pet robot to mourn you. I will rend you apart. Slowly."

Razer lowered his eyes. He removed the dead Red Lantern ring from his finger. _Aya, I can't die here. I can't . . ._ . Suddenly, Razer spotted the blue power ring on the street only a short distance away. _Hello again, old friend._

Atrocitus glared sharply at Razer, "Then again. I have important work ahead of me. And you really aren't worth the time. Better to finish you and be on my way." With a sadistic grin, Atrocitus formed a gleaming executioner's axe in his hands and brandished it high overhead before descending on Razer.

Razer steeled himself for the coming pain and rolled forward, avoiding Atrocitus' axe as it cleaved through the decayed pavement of the abandoned street with an explosion of force. Razer did not so much as wince when he rolled over his bad arm.

He took hold of the blue ring and, remembering his training on Odym, he put aside every doubt in his mind and pressed the ring onto his finger, leaving nothing but hope. "Aya, I am coming for you!"

Atrocitus pulled his axe free of the cracked pavement and brandished it once more as he rounded on Razer with a snort of contempt. "You will join your pet soon enough."

Razer focused on his hope, on Aya. No more rage, no more doubt, no more fear. Only hope and certainty.

_She is out there and I _will_ find her._

The blue ring gleamed brightly, like Razer hadn't seen since observing them in use by the Blue Lanterns on Odym. He stared at it in awe, not even noticing when the uniform of the Blue Lanterns began to cover him.

Razer aimed the ring toward his foe, then, unbidden, the familiar outline formed in front of him, at once artificial and at the same time so completely alive. He had seen the image emitted from the blue power ring before, but it was different somehow. At first Razer could not understand the change, but then her wide eyes looked at him directly, and then she blinked.

Razer's eyes widened. His heart pounded. He pushed everything else out of his mind. Only hope and certainty. As he focused, what had been a ghostly visage became solid. Razer's jaw gaped as he stared.

Then she spoke, a soft, mechanical voice, ringing with sincerity and more alive than any other Razer had ever heard, "Hello, my love."

Razer pushed air out of his lungs but didn't quite manage to make a sound, even when Aya ran forward to embrace him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, blinking and looking up at him with wide, curious eyes.

Finally, Razer managed to speak: "Duck!" He grabbed onto Aya with his good arm and pulled her to the side, avoiding the axe that would have chopped both of them in half.

Summoning a burst of speed, Razer held onto Aya tightly and accelerated high into the skyline and away from Atrocitus.

Atrocitus bellowed after them, "Run! You'll tire soon enough and I _will_ find you!"


	4. Resolved

"My love, Atrocitus appears to have ceased pursuit," said Aya.

Razer turned in the air, looking in all directions before tiredly nodding and gliding inside a nearby building through a long gash in the stone wall before setting down on the floor inside. He stared into Aya's blue eyes.

"I believe you can release me now, my love. My legs will function adequately for the purpose of standing in this room," said Aya.

Razer continued holding on to her, his hands trembled, "I, I'm afraid to."

She inclined her head curiously, "Why?"

Razer tried with some success to keep his jaw straight as he held her tighter, "Because I don't want to lose you again. Not a third time."

"You did not lose me. I never left you, my love."

It was Razer's turn to blink, "I don't understand."

Aya looked at Razer's bad arm. Her eyes widened with concern. "I will clarify in a moment. But you have sustained an injury, my love."

"It is nothing," said Razer, still staring at Aya and holding onto her with his good arm.

"Incorrect," said Aya. In a swift motion she took hold of Razer's shoulder with one hand and his bad arm with the other hand before promptly wrenching the arm back into place. Razer cried out in pain and dropped Aya in the process. She stumbled backward a couple steps before regaining her balance. "I apologize but that was necessary."

"Ooohh," exhaled Razer. He backed up against a wall before sliding downward into a sitting position, rubbing his shoulder.

Aya moved to sit down beside him.

"I think you were going to tell me about how you never left?" Razer managed.

"Yes, I will clarify my previous statement," said Aya, "After my dissipation, my program was scattered throughout the galaxy. A quantum of my existence, however, remained with you."

Razer's eyes widened as he stared at Aya, "These seven years . . . all the places I've gone . . . this place even . . . I never knew why. That was you? Guiding me?"

"In the instant before my dissipation, I calculated probable trajectories my program might take. In the event you attempted to restore me, I tried to imprint that information on your mind." Aya looked down, an expression of shame on her face. "Was that selfish of me?"

Razer tilted Aya's face to look up at his own, "No," A tear rolled down his face, "If you hadn't I may never have found you."

Aya raised a hand to rub away Razer's tear, "I am glad I did not upset you, my love."

Razer placed a hand on top of Aya's, "You could not if you tried," he said, before leaning over to kiss her.

Aya glanced to the left then to the right after their lips parted.

"What is it? Do you hear something?" asked Razer.

"No," said Aya, "But I have become accustomed to encountering life-threatening situations immediately after receiving affection from you. I wanted to ensure there was no such danger in the vicinity."

Razer managed a small laugh, "I love you," he said, before hugging Aya tightly.

"And I love you too, my love. Query: am I overusing the colloquialism 'my love,' my love?"

Razer touched a hand to Aya's face, still having difficulty believing that she was truly back, "I had not noticed."

"I am glad, my love. I have another query."

"Anything," said Razer, smiling.

Aya looked Razer up and down, "You seem to have undergone a transformation. Are you now a Blue Lantern?"

Razer looked down at his own clothes, "I suppose I have. I had not noticed." His expression suddenly became nervous, "Aya, what was it like when . . ." his voice trailed off.

"Prior to my reintegration?"

Razer nodded, "Was it painful?"

Aya looked down, "My dissipation was painful. The aftermath was . . . I do not know how to describe it in terms you would understand. Perhaps, numb?" She looked back up, "Although I did dream."

"What did you dream?"

"Memories. Of Hal, Kilowog, and of you and me. Other times I only saw you. Looking at me. It was comforting."

Razer choked and hugged Aya once more, "You really did never leave."

Aya shook her head as Razer squeezed her. "I did not, my love."

Razer let go of Aya, lowering his hands down to hold hers. "I want to leave this world with you. This world is a tomb and I have seen enough death for a dozen lifetimes."

Aya nodded. "I concur. I also feel as if I have died enough for one lifetime."

Razer squeezed Aya's hand and led her toward the gap in the wall. The blue sun had set, allowing the stars to shine brightly in the night sky.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

Aya's eyes widened as she looked up at the starlit sky. At length she pointed, "That one," she said decisively.

Razer and Aya held hands as they took to the stars.

* * *

><p>The diminutive blue figure saw everything. She watched Atrocitus attack Razer. She witnessed Razer's expected decision to use the blue power ring and she saw Aya's reconstitution. Then she watched as both quarries fled and Atrocitus simply left after taking Razer's Red Lantern battery.<p>

This irritated her.

By all reason Atrocitus should have pursued and annihilated his former enemies. It became clear to her that she had overestimated Atrocitus's enmity toward Razer and Aya and underestimated his hatred for his own contemporaries, whom he seemed eager to punish.

For a brief moment the diminutive figure contemplated destroying Razer and Aya herself. She almost certainly possessed the necessary power, she knew, but not within an acceptable margin of error. She had never before faced a Blue Lantern in combat and could not be absolutely certain that she could destroy both him and Aya. Atrocitus would have been expendable in such a battle but the diminutive blue figure knew that she herself was not expendable.

The diminutive blue figure shook her head. She had accomplished her main objective. Aya had been reconstituted, and, without the power of the Anti-Monitor or the Manhunters at her disposal, she was now vulnerable. Aya's ultimate destruction was assured. The time, place and method were merely details. The diminutive blue figure nodded. Atrocitus had proven unreliable but she would find another pawn to complete her work.


	5. Point of Contention

"That was interesting," said Razer as he and Aya exited the atmosphere of another world.

"I thought so too, my love," she said, "Our next destination should prove even more interesting."

Aya began analyzing long-range communications as they started to pass through an asteroid belt bordering the planet behind them.

"What precisely was that thing?"

"A pan-dimensional, silicon-based, cephalopod. However, I believe we successfully nullified its multi-dimensional capability and returned it to its place of origin. It will no longer be able to feed on the denizens of the world below."

"That's . . . certainly a relief," said Razer.

"Yes." Aya stopped and turned toward Razer. "Query: you seem dissatisfied? Have I done something wrong, my love?"

Razer shook his head, "No, of course not. I am happy to be with you again."

"You are holding something back," said Aya as she glided closer to Razer. "What is it?"

Razer sighed, "It's only . . . I had hoped we could spend time together."

Aya tilted her head, "But we are spending time together, are we not?"

"Of course we are," said Razer, "But I meant alone. With only you and me."

"Oh," said Aya, lowering her head. "When you asked me to choose a destination I selected worlds in need of aid. Where we could make a difference."

Razer's face softened as he glided toward Aya, "Aya, you weren't yourself, you don't need to atone for what happened."

"Yes-I -do," said Aya sternly. She collected herself before speaking again, "I want to help those in need. It is part of being a Green Lantern."

"Aya, you aren't a Green—"

"No," she interrupted, "I know I am not. And if I attempt to return to them they will have me disassembled and dissected, as they had intended to do before Hal retrieved me."

"They, what—when?"

"You were not present at the time. The incident occurred after you left to join the Blue Lanterns, shortly after Atrocitus' defeat."

"I didn't know. I shouldn't have—"

"You would have helped if you could have. I know this. But optimal outcomes were achieved. I survived and you learned valuable lessons from the Blue Lanterns. But we have digressed. I know I will never be a member of the Green Lantern Corps, but my essence is composed of green energy, as is the spark of life that animates me. It is part of what I am."

"No," Razer shook his head, "It is part of who you are."

"But we are now several tangents removed from the origin of this conversation. You desire to spend time alone, my love?"

Razer glanced away from Aya, thinking for a moment, then he looked back to her large, waiting eyes. He hesitated. "I want what is best for you, Aya. If helping others will help you to feel better, then that is what I want."

"It will, but I also want what will make you feel bett—"

Their conversation was interrupted when a green blur burst in toward them from deep space, struck Aya with colossal force and slammed her into a distant asteroid, creating a cloud of dust as the asteroid was pulverized.

"Aya!" Razer shouted as he raced after her. Summoning his hope, he created a gust to scatter the debris of the destroyed asteroid. He prayed silently that he would find Aya unharmed and readied himself for battle.

Then, when the dust scattered: "Kilowog?!"

The Green Lantern Kilowog hung in the space near the asteroid. Aya was barely visible beneath his bulky arms, which were wrapped around her in a bear hug.

"Your display of affection is appreciated, Kilowog," said Aya evenly, "I am also pleased to see you."

Razer glided toward Aya and Kilowog, "I think that's enough affection for now."

"Give me a break. I'm just happy to see the kid," Kilowog let go of Aya and punched Razer in the shoulder, sending him flying backward before he righted himself. "And you? Where ya been all this time ya poozer?" He didn't give Razer time to answer. "Me 'an Hal heard about you two. This and that world being saved by a mechanical green girl and a blue poozer. Nice new outfit, by the way."

"Thanks," said Razer.

"Is Hal nearby as well?" asked Aya, her eyes widening.

"He is," said a new voice as Hal Jordan flew in toward the others, "He's just a little slow." He stopped to give Aya a hug before turning to look at Razer. "I knew you'd find her if anyone could."

"And he never let me forget either," said Kilowog, "I told him more than once he should think of trading in his green ring for blue," Kilowog motioned toward Razer's blue power ring.

"Well it's good to see you kids back together, no matter how long it took." said Hal, smiling.

"We are gratified as well, Hal," said Aya.

"Hal," the Green Lantern raised an eyebrow, "And I remember when you used to call me Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Every time." He chuckled.

"Things change," said Razer, "Often for the better."

"Hal," started Aya, "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Hal looked at Aya, surprised, "Uh, privately?" She nodded. "Sure?" said Hal, glancing at Razer.

"It's alright," said Razer, hiding his unease, "Go ahead."

"Yeah," Kilowog said in his loud boisterous voice, attempting to break the tension. "It'll give me and blue poozer here time to catch up."

* * *

><p>"Alright, Aya. What's this about?" asked Hal once they were away from the others.<p>

"It is about my existence. Something I am afraid to tell Razer."

Hal frowned, "I'm not going to like this am I?"

Aya shook and lowered her head.

Hal watched Aya concerned, "Is it . . . I give up, just tell me, please."

Aya nodded, still looking down, "When I activated the virus to eradicate the corrupted copies of my program . . ." she hesitated, "I did not allow the program to complete."

"What?" asked Hal, his eyes suddenly wide.

"I designed the virus to execute itself on a recursive loop designed to radiate outward, purge all traces of my program and return to the source, to me, validating the deletion protocol before purging my own existence."

Tears began to fall from Aya's eyes to float freely in space, freezing as they drifted.

"I . . . was afraid. I did not want to die. I panicked and aborted the virus, but, not before it destroyed my physical shell." She added, speaking more and more rapidly, "I did not tell Razer. I do not want him to know of my cowardice. But I had to tell—"

"Stop it, Aya," said Hal, holding her by her shoulders. "You were afraid to die. Every living thing is. You have got nothing to be ashamed of. No one can fault you for wanting to live. But you're here now. That's all that matters."

"No it isn't," said Aya, "I aborted the virus before validating the complete eradication of my corrupted program. There could still be traces left behind. Maybe enough to—"

"Calm down, Aya. It's been seven years. No one has seen any Manhunters and the universe is still here. I'll keep my eyes open but you can't let this fear run your life."

Aya nodded after a long moment and finally looked up, "Thank you, Hal."

Hal smiled at her and let go of her shoulders. "Good. Now dry your eyes, kid."

Aya nodded again and wiped the frozen crystalline tears from her eyes.

"Alright, now is there anything else I can help you with?" asked Hal. "I see you're back together with Razer. That has to be going well, right?"

"I do not know," admitted Aya.

"Oh, no," said Hal, instantly worried again.

"Razer expressed an interest in spending time alone with me but then he retracted that desire when I inquired further."

"Also," Aya continued, "While he made many displays of physical affection after reintegrating me, those displays have become fewer and further apart. I do not understand the cause for this."

"Well," Hal scratched the back of his neck, "I'm sure he was just relieved to see you again. We all are."

"Since being reunited, Razer and I have traveled to four different planets. He has not kissed me on either of the last two planets we visited. I feel that something is wrong but I do not know what."

Hal made a face, clearly uncomfortable. "We need to find you a girlfriend to talk to," he said.

"Please, Hal," said Aya imploringly, "I require additional data."

"I . . . I don't know," stuttered Hal, "You've kissed, right? Maybe he just doesn't know what your second base is?"

"Second base?" asked Aya, "I do not understand."

"Ehhhwllll . . ."

"What?"

"You know, first base, second base, home run," sputtered Hal. He activated his green power ring and created a bat construct he used to strike an asteroid like a baseball.

Aya shook her head, a look of utter confusion on her face.

"Didn't they program you with knowledge about the birds and the bees?" asked Hal, exasperated.

"Birds and bees and bases and homeruns? These data points possess no apparent correlations with love or with physical affection. How is this information supposed to assist my relationship with Razer?"

Hal sputtered again before the noises finally started to form words, "What—what I'm trying to say is that he probably doesn't know what to do with your . . . with your . . ."

Aya leaned inward, her blue eyes wide as she waited for Hal's answer.

Hal finally gestured to her chest, "With your female . . . parts."

Aya looked down at her own chest then at Hal, "What should he do with them?"

"I don't know! Just check any teenager's internet history! That should tell you!"

"Processing," said Aya, thinking, "You advise me to travel to Earth in order to consult the teenagers of your civilization. I will comply. Please tell Razer where I am going."

Hal's mouth hung open, "What? No, that's not what I meant. Hey! You're not leaving me alone with him! Hey, get back here!"


	6. Pilgrimage

Aya arrived to find Earth a chaotic mess. Even from her vantage point hanging miles above the surface of the planet.

With billions of lives and tens of thousands of petabytes to examine, aggregating and isolating the relevant data points, then synthesizing and analyzing the data in order to draw meaningful conclusions, would take time.

Aya dedicated her entire runtime to the task until her concentration was broken.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Aya paused her analysis to face the interloper, a blond, brawny human wearing a green vest over black clothes.

"Greetings, Green Lantern Guy Gardner."

"Hello yourself, Apa, Ava?"

"Aya."

"Aya, right. Well what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"I was, after a fashion."

Guy made an 'ah' face. "So what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Query: do you intend to take me to the Guardians so that they might dissemble me?"

Guy shook his head, "Nah. I know all the stuff the Guardians said about you. Abomination. Too dangerous to exist. Yadda, yadda, yadda. They said the same stuff about my intelli-toaster."

"Then you don't intend to deactivate me?"

Guy shook his head again, "Nope. Hal told me about you. As long as you don't try to destroy the universe again you're fine by me."

"I am relieved," said Aya.

"I still want to know what you're doing here," said Guy, moving closer to Aya.

"I am attempting to understand displays of affection in order to better cultivate my relationship with my love. Green Lantern Hal Jordan suggested I reference teenager internet searches in order to understand the concept. I am in the process of isolating data matching these parameters."

Guy chortled, "Hah! Did he now?"

Aya nodded.

Guy chuckled, "Well, that might work if you want to act like a girl. But if you want to be a woman for your man, heh, well you're not going to learn that by snooping on teenagers. You'd be better off learning that from a man."

Aya tilted her head, "What you say makes sense. Are you volunteering for the task?"

Guy spread his arms, "Why not? It's a slow day."

"Very well. I accept your offer."

Guy smiled, "You won't regret it. Head on down to North America. That's uh . . . that one down there." He chuckled to himself as he followed after Aya, "Teaching a robot to love . . ."

* * *

><p>Hal burst in through the Earth's atmosphere, following Aya's trail and praying he found her before Razer found him. As he closed in he detected a second Green Lantern signature near Aya's.<p>

"Dammit," Hal growled and accelerated, following the trail until he arrived at what seemed to be an inconspicuous apartment building before bursting in through the nearest window.

"–and that's why the 1984 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue will always be my favorite. Oh, hey Hal! Nice of you to drop in! You're paying for that window though."

Hal's jaw dropped at the scene in front of him. Aya and Guy Gardner sat on a couch, in front of them was a coffee table covered in magazines. Aya was rapidly thumbing through a magazine, far faster than any human could read, while simultaneously interfacing with a laptop that rested on the coffee table.

"What?"

"Hello, Hal," said Aya.

"What are you doing here?" asked Hal.

"Green Lantern Guy Gardner has been explaining physical affection to me," said Aya, while continuing to absorb the media in front of her.

"As long as he hasn't been demonstrating it," said Hal, glaring at Guy.

"Of course not, what do you take me for?" asked Guy with a lopsided grin.

"For you," said Hal accusingly.

"Hey," said Guy, "I was just trying to help your poor girl out."

"Indeed," said Aya. She closed the magazine and set it on the table along with all the others and ceased interfacing with the laptop. Then she rose from the couch and walked the short distance to Hal. "I believe I now have enough data to advance my relationship with my love. Do you know where he is?"

Hal gulped, "Last I saw him, Kilowog was holding him back from trying to kill me before I made my escape. So he's probably right behind me."

"Oh, good," said Aya, before removing a chip from her armature and handing it to Hal. "Please tell him to meet me at this location when he arrives."

With that said, Aya slipped past Hal and flew out through the hole he had left in the window.

"I'm a dead man," said Hal.

"Not in my apartment," said Guy, "get the hell out."

Hal rounded on Guy, "What did you tell her?"

Guy cackled and reclined in his sofa, placing his hands behind his head, "Oh, let's just say your friend is gonna thank me when she's done with him."

Hal face palmed as Guy laughed maniacally.

Guy kept going, "I mean, Hal, you would not believe the upgrades she started talking about making to herself."

Hal grinded his face into his palm. "Why are you doing this to me, Guy?"

"Simple. Once your little robot girl realizes what a putz her boy toy is she's gonna come back to the source," Guy pointed a finger victoriously against his own chest. "I mean a woman who volunteers to upgrade herself? What man could say no to that?"

"You're disgusting," said Hal. Then another question occurred to him. "What the hell are you even doing on Earth anyway? Aren't you an honor guard?"

Guy looked down, "I don't want to talk about it."

Hal shook his head, then, "Is that a Cosmo magazine?"

"Hey, she picked that one out!"

"Wait . . ." Hal grimaced, "tell me you did not take her out in public."

"Oh, don't be such a wuss. There's a convention in town. Everyone thought she was a cosplayer."


	7. Sleeping in Light

Razer closed in on the location Hal had given him. He still didn't know why Aya had left so suddenly. Hal had tried to explain but Razer didn't have the patience to listen. He didn't care for the reason. He only knew he needed to see her again.

He flew rapidly through the planet's milky-white cloud cover. When he finally made it through, he could see that the planet's surface was teeming with crystal spires of different hues, blues greens, yellows and purples. Light reflected off the spires, casting brilliantly colored auroras onto the undersides of the clouds.

Razer did not allow himself to be distracted. He continued to soar toward the coordinates until he saw a quartz-white plateau, a meadow in the forest of crystal spires. Even in the distance, he could make out the white-green figure standing in the middle of the plateau. Razer surged forward to meet her, his heart pounding so hard it felt as if it might tear out of his chest.

His feet impacted the plateau hard as he set down at full speed, tearing into the surface and leaving a long trail as he ground down to a halt.

"Hello, my love."

Razer breathed a sigh of relief when he looked up and could clearly see her face. "Aya . . ." he breathed in deeply, "Why did you leave me like that?"

"I am sorry," she said, "It was not my intention to cause you pain. I left in order to cultivate an understanding of physical affection. I believe I succeeded."

She reached down to help Razer to his feet. He accepted her hand then his eyes widened. "It's warm" he said.

Aya nodded, "I have made several modifications in order to better perform and accommodate actions of physical affection."

Razer turned over Aya's hand in his own, tracing a finger along it, mystified by its warmth.

"For instance, I replaced much of the surface of my outer casing with a unified, sensory, thermo-conductive gel layer in order to create erogenous zones."

Razer nodded dumbly and looked Aya up and down, which was when he noticed something else. "Aya, you . . . seem to be showing more green than before."

"Yes, that was another modification I made," she said, "It is my understanding that displaying skin is one means of stimulating arousal in a desired mate. However, because I do not—"

Razer came to his feet. He stared into Aya's blue eyes and touched a hand to her face. Warm, just like her hand. "You did not have to do this," he said, "Change yourself for me."

Aya tilted her head to the side, "My core program is unchanged. I only altered my physical attributes."

Aya suddenly remembered Razer's rejection of herself after she had returned to the _Interceptor_ with a body of composed mostly of salvaged Manhunter components. She suppressed the fear and doubt that came with the memory.

"Do my alterations unsettle you?" she asked.

"I am getting used to them," said Razer, still mystified.

"I am pleased. I made the alterations for both of us," said Aya, relieved, then looked over across the horizon, "I endeavored to select an appropriate location for us to spend time in each other's company. Did I succeed, my love?"

"You did, my love," said Razer. He finally allowed himself to look outward and appreciate the surroundings Aya had chosen. Razer relaxed his hold on his power ring, allowing the Blue Lantern's garb to fade away.

Razer pulled Aya against himself and she arched upward on her feet to kiss him. He kissed her back and the two entwined their arms around each other under the coruscating, aurora-stained skies.


End file.
